Binding off

Before you can make up your pets, you will need to bind off your knitting so that the stitches don't work loose. Below are instructions for the standard binding-off of one edge. On some pets, you will need to bind off (graft) two edges together, for which you can use Kitchener stitch (grafting).

STANDARD BIND OFF

1 Work the first stitch on the left-hand needle as if making a regular knit stitch. Then knit the second stitch. Insert the left-hand needle into the first stitch on the right-hand needle.

2 Pass this stitch over the second loop on the right-hand needle and drop it off the needle. This makes the first bound-off stitch. To continue, knit the next stitch. Use your left-hand needle to pass the new first stitch over the second stitch and drop it off the needle. Carry on until all the stitches in the row have been bound off.

KITCHENER STITCH

1 Cut the working yarn, leaving a long end, and thread it into a darning needle. Hold the double-pointed needles, each with the same number of stitches, parallel in your left hand. Insert the darning needle purl-wise into the first stitch on the closest knitting needle. Pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the knitting needle.

2 Insert the darning needle knit-wise into the first stitch on the back knitting needle. Pull the yarn through, leaving that stitch on the knitting.

3 Insert the daring needle into the same front stitch as before, this time knit-wise, and slip that stitch off the knitting needle onto the working yarn.

4 Insert the darning needle purl-wise through the next front stitch, leaving it on the knitting needle. Then pass the darning needle purl-wise through the same stitch as before on the back knitting needle, slipping it off the needle and onto the working yarn. Insert the darning needle knit-wise through the next back stitch, leaving it on the knitting needle. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no stitches left on the needles.